The invention relates to an item of clothing, in particular a bra or swimsuit top, having at least one arrangement for connecting and separating two coupling elements which are each connected fixedly to parts of the item of clothing and having a handling aid which can be actuated by a thumb or finger being assigned to at least in each case one of the coupling elements.
A multitude of items of clothing having closures exhibiting preferably hooks and eyes are known, in particular in the form of bras and swimsuit tops. The coupling elements should be distinguished by simplicity, reasonable price and stability. In order, in the case of known items of clothing, to separate the respective coupling parts from one another, however, the use of two fingers is usually required, the two fingers having to grip, in the manner of pincers, at least one coupling element or that end of the part of the item of clothing, on which the coupling element is fastened, which is assigned to the coupling element. This type of handling is particularly awkward if the coupling elements are located in the back region of an item of clothing or else rest firmly against the body. In order, in cases of the last-mentioned type, to render unnecessary the action of engaging behind parts of the item of clothing which rest against the body and, furthermore, to facilitate the handling of the closures formed by the coupling elements for people who suffer from arthritis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,651 has proposed to assign a loop in each case to one of the coupling elements, it being possible for a finger to be inserted into said loop for closing and opening the closure. However, this known solution is not fully satisfactory either. A first reason for this consists in the fact that the loops, fitted in the manner of lugs on the item of clothing, noticeably detract from the appearance of said item of clothing. Added to this is the fact that the lug-like or tab-like design of the loops makes it considerably more difficult to insert a finger into the respective loop, and the increase in ease of handling sought after, in particular, for handicapped people is consequently not achieved to the desired extent.